Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 580 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

al \ “ ~ i er eta o* a See = oO ot 22 Shadowing a Shadow. “Do not be rash, Mr, Blackwall,” he said, ** but let us reason this thing alittle. You were as much in favor of putting the man out of the way usIl was, Why bave you turned about in this manner after the work is as good as done?” ** Because I refuse to be a party to the crime,” was the answer, ‘It is too horrible, now that I see the victim stretched out before us,” ‘*Chicken-heart! And is that your only reason?” ‘¢ That is reason enough,” ‘* Has that red mark on his arm anything to do with it?” **\/ bat red mark?” **))o you mean to tell me that you have not observed that red mark on hisarm? { thought it was that that startled you so, Look at it.” The doctor moved the detective’s arm so that the mari was more plainly visible to the banker’s gaze, ‘*Thatis nothing,” Blackwall made response. ‘Will you touch that bell and summon my servant?” he presently requested, half-turning around, Blackwall reached over to comply, when, quick as thought, the doctor wheeled and dis- charged the contents of a large syringe full in his face, The banker half started up, gasping for breath, reeled backward, and the next instant fell over the chair and landed unconscious upon the floor, ‘Ha, ha, ha!” the demon doctor laughed aloud, *‘ who can overreach me? I am more than a match for them all, Now Ican think over this matter at my leisure.” He threw himself upon a chair and gavo him- self up to reflections, ‘*What am! do with them?’ he questioned, ** Shall I dispose of both— But, that would never do, for the scheme cannot go on without Blackwall now that Parmilye is disposed of, in you! I am in no mood for fooling. Lay that weapon on the table.” The doctor obeyed, ‘* And now sit down there,” the detective fur- ther directed, pointing to a chair beside the one the banker occupied, Blackwall was pale, and his hands and face twitched nervously. As for the doctor, a look of sullen hatred was in his eyes. How the detective had come to, be could not guess. He could have staked his life that he would remain unconscious for hours, The truth was, he had made a simple mistake in using the wrong hypodermic needle, and tho wrong drug had been administered. Instead of rendering bim more insensible, if such a term be admissible, he had given an impetus to his return to consciousness and vigor. When he came to, the detective looked around him in surprise. Where was he?) What had happened? ina moment he remembered all, and “*T was horrified at the thought of taking the | No, the banker must live. the sound of voices drew his attention, “4 life of a young man right in the glory of youth, ‘*But what of the other?? What is Black- He slid noiselessly from the table to the floor, and one with such a splendid physique.” wall’s object in sparing him? And how am I to | looked around for his coat, found it on the side- “Bah! that is all sentimentality. What need | do it anyhow, without getting into trouble? | table, and felt for his weapons: Bes it matter to us whether he be old or young?| Let him get out of our hands now, and within Only one revolver was there, and he took that | And, too, the deed is done, He is unconscious, | twenty-four hours we shall be arrested. How | in hand and listened. 9 f and, as far as he is concerned, dead already. | can it be done, and yet without bringing the ‘* Understand, Doctor Gonsalvo,” he heard a ; If I were to cut his throat he would feel nothing | calamity of failure down upon us?” voice saying, ‘* if you fail your life shall pay the ia of it. To all intents and go) egy he is dead,” For a long time he remained in thought, but | penalty. Before f would let harm come to that 3 _ “ Doctor Gonsalvo, will you obey me in this, | finally roused up. young man, I would lay down my own life.” * or do re prefer to die? We have had parley “Ha!” he exclaimed, ‘‘I have it. That ex- Kinworth recognized the voice of Mr, Black- | ay enough.” plosion was an accident, of course. I can | wall. | BS The revolver was still presented at the doc- play that excuse upon him, I think. Now to The doctor responded to that, and while he | tor’s breast, and the banker’s manner was none | bring Blackwall to his senses,” was speaking the detective put on his vest and | a the less determined. Lifting the banker from the floor he placed | coat and crept noiselessly up the stair, | it ‘* But how are we to protect ourselves?’ Gon- | him in the chair, put a few drops of some sort When he reached the top he interrupted in the | mA Salvo persisted. “ Can’t you realize tae position | of medicine into his mouth, and set to rubbing | manner shown. | f we will be in?” , his hands. ‘*As I said before,” he repeated, when the | ‘*T realize it all, but 1 am determined.” In a little time the banker opened his eyes. doctor had taken a seat as ordered, ‘* you need | **Man, you are a fool!” **'W here am I?” he gasped. not put yourselves to all that trouble on my ac- “Call me so if you like, but that does not ** You are right here, And all safe and sound,” | count. { will take care of myself. I am quite alter the case any. And now for the last time | answered the doctor. _ | surprised to see you here, Mr. Blackwall,” he —wil) you bring that youug man back to life? ‘** But—I—what has happened? What— Oh! | observed. It iseither that, or itisdeath for you. You | nowIremember. Whereis he? Have you kill- The banker had not recovered courage suffi- will never leave this hole alive.” ed him? you son of Satan!” cient to respond. # If possible, the banker’s manner was more de- ‘*No, | have not killed him,” the doctor as- ‘*T am quite surprised, and yet I am not so x termined than ever, and the doctor saw that it | sured; ‘‘heisall right. But I have shown you | very much surprised, either,” the detective went ‘J was dangerous to delay longer. that lam the wrong man for you to trytobully | on. ‘ From what I have learned of both of you, ; The banker’s action was a disagreeable sur- | and order about, You have been unconscious | nothing ought to surprise me.” v prise. for fully ten minutes, and right in my power, While speaking, he had reached over and “Well, if you insist upon it, I cr Loree I will | I could have killed you as easily as not,” taken possession of hisrother revolver, OF have to humor you,” Gonsalvo said, “‘but Ido! ‘ But did not dare to, eh?” Dr. Bonsai was fairly gnashing his teeth in it against my sense and against my will, It **Did not want to. Ihavebeen thinking this | impotent rage. He saw now what his mistake _ makes it necessary for me to get out of sight.” matter over calmly, trying to find some means | had been, First, he realized now that he had “That willdo no harm. You can hide until | of sparing that fellow’s life, since you are so | madea mistake in not taking the life of. the de- the affair blows over,” observed Blackwall, | bent upon it; and at the same time keeping out | tectiveat once; and next, in the use of the wrong 3 “and then you can come to light again.” of trouble myself,” needle, ae ** But, what of yourself?” ‘* Well, have you succeeded?” ‘That chair trick of yours, doctor,” Kin- “You forget that he does not know that I ‘**T have.” worth next spoke, ‘‘ was very good, but I was a , have had anything todo with the matter at ‘* What is your plan?” little too quick for you there, I was rather on va ry Mr. Blackwall was himself again, but the re- | the lookout for something of the kind from the ‘He will know it, though, if I find that lam | volver had changed hands. It was now in the | moment I entered your door, Your next move ‘ getting into trouble, sir.” possession of the dark-visaged doctor. was better, and I freely confess that it wasa xr **'You would expose it all, then?” “In the first place, sir, you must take your | surprise. It floored me. It was not necessary a ‘**As sureas thesun., If you are not willing | leave, for of course you do not want the man to | for me to ask what your intention was concern- to take part in this means of securing our safe- ty, then you shall share the results with me, whatever they are. But, you surely cannot be so foolish as to let this man go, with the knowl- edge he has. Don’t you see that it means cer- tain ruin to all our plans, with State’s Prison at the end?” **] see all that, but I care nothing forit. If we can’t shake this man off without murder, then we will bear the consequence, I will not know nothing about it,” : **Gonsalvo, no more talk. Restore that man to consciousness, or die!” The doctor realized that now the final mo- ment had come. Did the banker really mean what he threatened? He dared not risk further gs ‘* Well, I will do it, muchas I hate to,” he see you when he comes to—” **T will do nothing of the kind, sir. I will not leave this house until I see that detective leave it alive and well. You shall have no chance to play a trick on me, Youcan let me hide in a closet,” ‘* Have [ not had all the chances that I could wish for to play a trick on you, as you call it?” ‘* Perhaps you have done it—” He did not finish, but started for the trap- volver at him, ‘I assure you that the man is just where we left him, and in just the same condition. Iam willing to do what you desire, “You can go into that closet yonder, and I will bring the fellow up to this room and restore bim where you can see it all,” ‘You mean that?” **T do,” ing me. You meant to take my life. what course ought I to take in return?’ ‘You are entirely mistaken,” the doctor de- nied; ‘*‘ trying to save your life is very different from trying to take it, If 1 bad wanted to kill you, do you suppose that you would now be alive? Where did you find yourself when you came to? Let me give you the truth of the dis- agreeable affair. As I told you at the time, that matter of the spring-cbair was purely an Now, # bea rey to his murder,” door, to assure himself that the body of the de- | accident. You do not seem inclined to believe 4 “Well, you need not be. You can leave here | tective had not been tampered with, it so now, after this second accident; but it is so, 4 ntow, and I will attend to everything. You will ** Stop!” Gonsalvo ordered, leveling the re- Next, a bottle of highly poisonous stuff fell from that shelf when I closed the door, exploded, and you were rendered unconscious, If I had not taken the promptest kind of action, you would now be dead, I carried you down to my table, tore off your coat and vest, bared your arm, applied the proper antidote, and here you are.” inworth laughed. ‘You are acbampion liar,” he carelessly re- nie promised, ‘‘Put up your weapon. I will re- ‘** Understand, Doctor Gonsalvo, if you fail | turned. ‘‘ What I heard of your conversation aa store him if it is possible,” | your life shall pay the penalty. Before I would | gives the lie to what you say. It was your pur- iS “Tf it is possible!” The words rung a warn- | let harm come to that young man, I would lay to kill me. Why you did not do so at once e ing into the banker’s ears. The doctor might | down my own life,” ldo not know, but Iam thankful that you did : take means to insure the victim’s death instead, ‘Your action in the matter is a mystery to | not.” ; “Hark you, Doctor Gonsalvo,” he warned, | me, Mr. Blackwall, but you can rely upon my ‘‘Tf you heard our conversation,” the banker “if you fail to restore him, then you die, as | word, I will restore him, and you will hear.me | now spoke up, ‘‘ you are aware that I was J, surely as my finger can press this trigger. Do | tell him that the explosion of gas that rendered | making every effort to save you.” , not attempt to play me false,” him insensible was purely an accident. You ‘‘T heard your words, sir,” the detective re- 3 The doctor paled. He saw thatthe banker | will see me treat him like a gentleman, and my | turned, ‘‘ and your stand in the affair is rather pas held the master-hand, There was nothing left | acting will be so real that you will believe it | peculiar. From what I know, I would think it : for him to do but obey the orders. ourself, almost, You will see him go from the | more likely that you would be the accomplice, a “‘T will restore bim,” was the promise, ‘‘ but I | house as well as he entered it, and—’ if not really the employer, of this doctor in re- ; must go up to the office for the means of doing ‘*Excuse me, gentlemen, but you need not | moving me from the world.” 80.” ‘ put yourselves to all that trouble on my ac- ‘** Nothing of the kind!” the banker exclaimed. hd “Go on: I will follow you.” count,” ‘*T happened in here, caught the doctor at_ his a The doctor turned and ascended the steps, The rascals turned quickly, only to find them: | devilish work, and threatened to kill him if he 4 Mr. Blackwall going right behind him, still re- | selves covered with a revolver in the hand of | did not restore you.” taining his hold upon the revolver. Lightning-Flash bimself, Gonsalvo laughed lightly. a When they reached the room above, the doctor You are a fool, and as great a one asI have ih went to the cupboard where he had his store of CHAPTER XX1xX., been,” he said. ‘‘f wasa fool for not playing | medicines, etc., and threw open the doors, A NEW SUSPICION AROUSED. my best card; you area fool for trying to get | a” “Sit down,” he said, ‘for it will take me A MORE complete surprise it is hard toim- | out of your share of the responsibility. This mt some minutes to prepare the necessary article.” ne, man has now got the upper hand, and we have ae The banker took a seat, but still kept the re- r, Gonsalvo made a move as though to raise | got to come to his terms. You can see that, I y volver to the fore, the revolver which he had in hand, but the de- st.” ra Gonsalvo was busy for some ten minutes, but | tective checked him. ““That is where the matter stands now,” re- ¢ finally he seemed to be about done with his|~ ‘‘ Hold on, there!” Kinworth ordered; “if you preparations, lift your arm an inch higher, I will put a hole marked the detective, ‘‘and the best wing oe both of you is to make a clean breast of it all.” aig | | oe ee ae comicbooks.con > < ’ *